Insiders say male news reporters are being sidelined so air time can be given to their female counterparts.

One female reporter, who asked not to be named, said: ‘I think there is an ongoing shift to use women more widely. Five years ago we dubbed the BBC1 bulletin ‘The Men at Ten’. You wouldn’t see a single female reporting.’

Last Sunday, the lunchtime edition was anchored by Carole Walker and featured three women reporters – political correspondent Susana Mendonca on Brexit, North of England correspondent Fiona Trott reporting on a hit-and-run accident in Manchester, and Kathryn Stanczyszyn covering the extreme weather across Europe.

The sole male was business reporter Joe Miller, covering Brexit.

Radio 4 Today presenter Mishal Husain fronted the 5.30pm programme, with chief political correspondent Vicky Young reporting on Brexit, Katie Hunter on Scottish politics, foreign correspondent Bethany Bell on the weather in Europe, and Karthi Gnanasegaram rounding up the sport, while Trott again reported on the crash.

10pm: Star of Radio 4’s Today programme, Ms Husain is back on screen, this time for the late evening bulletin

10.12pm: Wrapped up against the cold, Bethany Bell is back to report on the snowfall in Europe

North America editor Jon Sopel (left) outside the White House at 10.14pm followed by Nawal Al-Maghafi (right) reporting on ceasefire in Yemen at 10.16pm

10.18pm: Another round-up of the day’s sport from Karthi Gnanasegaram…and finally, it’s good night

LA-based reporter David Willis covering the US government shutdown was the only man on screen.

Husain returned for the 10pm news, which again featured Young, Trott, Bell and Gnanasegaram.

They were joined by Europe editor Katya Adler, Scotland editor Sarah Smith, and Nawal Al-maghafi reporting on the ceasefire in Yemen. North America Editor Jon Sopel was the sole male.

The BBC found itself at the centre of an explosive row last year after China Editor Carrie Gracie quit in protest over gender pay differences. Since then, the Corporation has been putting women into some of its biggest jobs.

Fiona Bruce has replaced David Dimbleby on Question Time and Zoe Ball has taken the Radio 2 breakfast slot from Chris Evans.

But some say the pendulum has swung too far. Sam Taylor, editor of The Lady magazine, said: ‘The BBC may have somehow swallowed the politically correct pill and got it stuck in its throat.’

A BBC spokesman said: ‘It wasn’t a bid to boost female profiles. It was just the way it worked with the stories around that day.’